PUNJAB

 

• Test all Punjab hand pumps for arsenic: Study

 

• A blanket testing of hand pumps/tube wells, especially private ones, should be the first step in dealing with public health issues due to arsenic exposure in Punjab, a recent study on the Indus Basin region, covering Indian as well as Pakistani areas.

 

• Besides, the Punjab Government needs to concentrate more on northern parts which have “serious” levels of arsenic, along with traces of fluoride and nitrate, in groundwater.

 

• The presence of arsenic in groundwater is mostly “natural, from geogenic sources” and prevalent in Indus as well as the Bengal basin. In fact, it extends to most South Asian countries and several studies have been conducted on problem in the past three decades, including mitigation and reducing exposure.

 

• The study found that 87 per cent of households that had hand pumps high in arsenic also had access to private hand pump with cleaner water within 100 m. Normally, in a village of 90 to 100 households (on an average), there would be as many tube wells/hand pumps, but the government would be testing only eight to 10 installed by it.

 

• High arsenic levels in water are leading to slow poisoning, potentially causing skin lesions, damage to nervous system, stomach ailments, diabetes, renal toxicity, cardiovascular diseases and cancer

 

• Because of high fluoride content in water, kids are facing dental and skeletal fluorosis, while high nitrate levels are causing gastric cancer, goitre and birth malformations 

  INTERNATIONAL

   

   

  ·        Bangladesh’s PM Hasina wins third straight

   

  • Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasinahas secured her third consecutive term, with her alliance winning 287 of the 298 seats for which results have been declared for the 300-strong parliament.
  • The main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party, which boycotted the 2014 poll, has won just six seats in the general election held on December 30.

   

  ·        Uzbekistan promotes 2019 as year of investment in backdrop of wider business with India

   

  • President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev announced 2019 as the ‘Year of Active Investment and Social Development’ in the backdrop of proposed investments from India to boost the economy of the Central Asian country, in his annual address to the Parliament.
  • The President stated that concrete measures will be taken on creating an open economy, radically improving the business environment and investment climate and reducing the state presence in the economy.
  • He stressed that investment was the driver of the economy, new technologies, advanced experience, and highly qualified specialists come with investments into all sectors and regions.

   

   

   

  NATIONAL

   

  ·        Delhi Police becomes first police force in India to digitise all malkhanas

   

  • With the launch of ‘E-Malkhana’ in the remaining 10 districts at Chinamaya Mission, the Delhi Policehas become first in country to have digitalised malkhana in Police Stations of its all districts.
  • Malkhanas are rooms for keeping seized arms and ammunition.
  • According to the release, around 3,11,600 case properties have been encrypted in digital form across all the police stations in the state.

   

  ·        Sports Ministry embarks Rs 100 cr for funding athletes under TOPS

   

  • The Sports Ministry has earmarked Rs 100 crorefor the funding of athletes under the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) for their preparations for 2020 Olympics, according to Sports Authority of India Director General Neelam Kapur.
  • The TOPS, which was launched in September 2014, is a flagship programme of the sports ministry to provide financial assistance to potential Olympic medal winners.
  • Athletes have also been given financial assistance to prepare for Commonwealth Gamesand Asian Games under the TOPS.

   

  ·        Transgenders can file sexual harassment case under IPC

   

  • Delhi High Courthas allowed that Section 354A of Indian Penal Code (IPC) can be used by transgenders to register complaints of sexual harassment.
  • According to the police, there was a lack of an appropriate penal section under which they could register such a complaint.

   

  ·        Government doubles export incentives for onion farmers to 10 percent

   

  • Government has doubled the export incentives for onion farmers from existing 5 percentto 10 percent.
  • This is the result of steep drops in recent weeks in the prices for onions, a staple food in India.
  • The export incentive for fresh Onions was zero before July, 2018. During July this year, the incentives were introduced at the rate of five percent. The Ministry said, now, with the current increase, Onions enjoy one of the highest incentives for Agro-exports.

   

   

  ·        NHRC launches toll free helpline 14433 facility to file complaint through CSC

   

  • National Human Rights Commission (NHRC)launched a toll-free number 14433 and a facility to file complaints through Common Service Center (CSC).
  • The toll-free number is 14433 and has been unveiled by Justice (retd.) H.L.Dattu, Chairperson of NHRC at the headquarters of the body, Manav Adhikar Bhawan.
  • People can now send their complaints related to human rights violation through both the toll-free number and CSCs, although the toll-free number will only be available during office hours.
  • A collaboration between NHRC and CSC has been formed and the service has been provided to 750 CSCs with at least one in each district. Secretary-General of NHRC.

   

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